JK Rowling's wealth increased by another £30,000,000 last year

[Pluvia]

Despite the hatred and death threats, despite giving so much of it away and being sidelined by Hollywood and all the insults, according to the Times annual Rich List JKR's wealth increased by £30 million last year. Well done, Jo.

A reading day thread would be a deep joy. Thanks to everyone on this thread who alerted me to the fact that we can now pre-order The Ink Black Heart.

She's a dreadful writer though.

How many bestselling books have you written?

I quite like her. Couldn’t manage Harry Potter but like the strike ones.

Aramox1, how do you explain the vast number of books she's sold? Everyone who buys and reads them is a bit thick? Everyone who buys and reads them doesn't understand literature?

We could all go on strike and have a Strike reading day!

What a strange thing to say. She’s hugely critically acclaimed, and hugely popular.

Have you actually read the Strike novels?

They are popular because the stories and characters are fantastic. She creates a compelling world, filled with brilliant detail.

But actually I find her writing style quite clunky, awkward and inelegant, it was so stark, reading the novels aloud.

It is OK to have a critical opinion of the work of someone you also admire and whose work you enjoy.

But pretty ironic that the “critique” contained not even a half attempt to explain why she’s “dreadful.”

Depends what you're looking for.

I had a child with SEN who hated reading. I don't give a crap if she's not Dostoyevsky, she got my child reading.

I will love her until I die because she gave my child a love of books. What a gift.

I scanned the list quickly this year looking for JKR (her photo was shown so I knew she's be in there somewhere). So many of these phenomenally wealthy people are male, and so many of them have inherited family wealth and businesses or are hedge fund managers and investors etc. So few are creatives. I think JKR and Paul McCartney are the only two I spotted. They both come from ordinary backgrounds and both have made their millions harmlessly giving people around the world pleasure. Hats off to them.

Good for her!

StageRage, absolutely, a sensible critique is a useful thing. A sensible critique is not what the pp offered.

I'm not sure what the point of a sensible critique is either. I don't recall these rich lists coming out and a lot of posters falling over themselves to say that windows is a shit OS.

It is though…

Oh, there’s the odd clunky bit in the Strike books. Id trust the reader more and chop the repetition, personally. But her imagery works with my brain. I like books I can watch unfold.

Plus, her phrase ‘lumbering away like a startled buffalo’ makes me grin.

Same with my reading avoiding Son too @MrsTerryPratchett . HP was the spark. So many good memories of both reading and watching the series with my family.

Brilliant! And thanks for the reminder, I’ve just pre ordered the next Strike book

I have bought Harry Potter knickers this year funnily enough...

I bet Jo gets them for free.

😂😂😂😂

...for free!
😂😂😂😂

Said the people's poet.
Let's hear your poetry then?!
😂😂😂

Brilliant. Such an amazing woman.
I'm definitely not posting here to put my name down for the possible FWR trip to the River Cafe.

She deserves every penny.

Incredible that it takes that level of wealth to be able to put your head above the parapet on this issue.

I have bought Harry Potter knickers this year funnily enough...

What, grown up ones?? Oooh. I've only got as far as socks in the Harry Potter undies dept. I feel that my next level of HP purchasing had just been opened....

I'm so pleased. Long may she continue to be incredibly rich. I was late to Harry Potter but when my dd pressed me, I read the first five in a very short tome, staying up all night to finish them. That's rare. And her support for women is an even greater work than the books.